Surgical or orthopedic appliance for the treatment of the ankle



G. GASSETTE,

SURGICAL 0R ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. L919.

1,383,928, 7 Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

m'fncssaj Jrzvcvzfor am ff, mimfl m e. GASSETTE. I SURGICAL OR ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3,1919.

1,383,928 Patented July 5, 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 74%57266565 .fnvrzfor @g flQt/JL-ZZWAZW J ma zg GBAGEG'ASSETTE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SURGICAL 0R ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE.

Myinvention relates to an articulated device for holding and supporting the ankle in any desired position asa means of curative treatment in casesof fracture or ankylosis of the ankle, or for. theremedy of muscular deviations. and abnormality in the P055:

tion of; the ankle. The object of my invention istheproduc'tionof a useful. and effi cient, mechanical device,-well .designed and adapted. for the ends in view and by means of which the foot may be immobilized and supported ;in the desired position for any length-of time, and through'which, if desired, aprogressive' treatment may be car.-

ried .out by making changes of adjustment from time to time as the treatment progresses, With this general purpose in view I have devised and invented the novel appliance for treatmentof' the ankle hereinafter 7 described, and my invention consists in the novel a combination and arrangement of 00 operating parts ofv such structure, as more particularly pointed out in .the l appended claims, it being understood,.: however, that the particular ,structure hereinafter de-.

scribed and shown: in the accompanying drawings is susceptible of various variations and modifications.without departing from g Y and buckle .19 for securlng it to the leg.

the substanceof my invention or the scope of the claims.

In the drawings Figure lisan-elevation of the -outerside of. my novel appliance; Fig.12 is za'bottomlplanview of the same; Fig. .3 is 'a'frontielevation of the appliance; and Fig. 41s a perspectiveshowing the inner side of the same. .1

The samereference characters indicate the sameparts in all. the figures of thedrawing. supporting appliance may be stated generally to consist of a rigid'sole plate upon: which the footto betreated is firmly secured, the. sole. being rigidly connectedv to a vertical" Side pieceto which, at; the height 7 of the ankle, is hinged a splint orleg support extending upwardlyto "just below the. knee. fThis "support has a pivotal connec-;

tion; with the hinge leaf, wherebythe leg support"(to which the leg is secured) may Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1921;

- Application filed March 3,1919. Serial No. 280,221.

I be angularly adjusted with respect to the sole and side plate, at about the levelof the ankle joint, both sidewise and in a forward and rearward direction.

Describing now in detail the construction ,of the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, upon the metallic base 1 of the appliance and secured to it by means of a pair of screw bolts 2 and 3 00-. operating with nuts 4 and 5 there is ar.-

vided with a curved vertical heel abutment -7- at the rear. .Straps 8 and 9', riveted tothe sole piece are provided for holding the foot of thepatientfirm'ly in place upon the sole plate.

upwardly to the level of the ankle joint of ranged a metallic sole piece or plate 6 pro- 7 The base1 has secured to it vertical side piece in the form of a plate 1* which extends J- a foot resting upon the sole plate. At this point a hinge 10 is riveted to the plate, and f upon a headed stud 11 fixed to the outer movable leaf of: this hinge is mounted an extenslble splint 'orleg support consisting of the lower pivoted member 12 and an upper slidable member 13, which latter is secured to thepart 12 through a clasp 14 fixed to its lower end and embracing the part 12' and a sci'ew bolt 16 carried by the. member 13 and passing through a longitudinal guide slot in the part 12 a winged clamping nut 17 being provided forrigidly securing the lower and upper members together in any desired posi} tion of adjustment. The member 13 of this leg support carries atits top a transverse arcuate socket piece 18 equipped with a strap 1 I i The base 1 ofthe appliance is formed with a side extension 1 which is curved concenjustably mounted on thisextension is an upbase being equipped 'with a headedscrew bolt 25 passing through a slot 26'cut trans '95 trically with the. axis of thehinge 10. Ad

-wardly "extending adjusting plate 23 formed a ,with an approximately horizontal'base 23* versely in thee'xtension 1 and 'a winged nut 27 being provided to clamp the base of the adjusting plate rigidly tothe extension.

1 The adjusting plate 23 in any position of adjustment lies in a plane-radial of-the axis,

" of the hinge 10, and when placed near its innermost position isparallel with the side [plate 1 A .curved slot-21 is cut in this adjusting plate 23, concentric with the axis of the pivot 11, which is carried by the movtion will yield or spring into the open space :20 when the head portion 6 ofthe tongue exerts pressure on said section 10'during the operationrofit inserting the; tongue. .,As the end portions of the head onthe tongue move downwardly-over theparts 9 at the ends of the section 10, said parts Q will also yield orflex into the open space :0 during the downward movement of the, head on the tongue, but as -jsoo'n asthe head of the tongue passes belowthe horizont'al s1it'5 in the portion 3, the parts"9'will*spring forwardly back toward their former position, 'thussecurely locking the tongue, due, of course, tothe fact 'that any' upward inovem'ent of the tongue is resisted by the shoulders 8- on the tongue eqmin'g incontact with the parts 9 n the inner portion3'ofthe end wall; "IUWlll thus he'seen-that with-abox'of the construc-. tion above "described it i'sfnot necessary-either to deforin' tli'e tongue or openfiup the slit which "receivesthe tongue by rneans of .a'

spreading" device," preparatory to inserting the tongue in "said slit. on the contrary,"the f, pressure that the operators'finger exerts on,

the tongdeing uidingthe tongue toward the slit 5 ,"causes the sect on 10 at the up er side H of the'saidfsli-t tobendor flex" into t I e open space e in the-intermediate portion 2. Suf

;ficie11t-1"y" to cause the slit toi'open automatif ive the end of ithe head 6 on" callyand' re the constr m th r o' d w t b xje above descriloedthe natural movement ofthe' operators finger in moving the head 6} ot the tongue "downwardlyover the inner portion 3' oftheend wall caqses; the slit' '5 toop'en automatically, thereby per -i n'i'ittiiig the tongue tofhee moved into opera tive position also'l'ocked by a'singIe operationli Having'thus dscrihed my iiintidli; w at I claiin ashew-and desire to'sejcure by'LettersPatentis:*

1. A ox formats mates def at; like and having as wall composed ofr afplurality of overlappedportions, one of 7 which portions' -isfprovided with fan opening. through whichajtongue is adapted to be inserted and the ad acent portion havi g an open space or holefor receiving Said ton' 11e- 'b'f car board-er the-like provided with a 'wall comprising Ya plurality I of overlappediportions,one,of'said portions;

having aK slitflthrough whichza' 'tongue is' yield or -flex durin ing the-tongue. 1'

' and having {a wall co'1np'ri'sing a portion-provided with' an open space,' a tongue that'is" adapted to beins'ertedinanopening in one face said wallland positioned inisaid'opeiif: an end wallponiposed' bfthre overlapped 7 'porti'ons.-provided with a 'ton'gue thatjis"" one of;theother'portionsof said Well,

a wall coinphsed of a umvemppea portions, a retaining flap oiifone oif'saidpofportion o the-1mm having a" slitfthrough wihich'saidj tonguejis inserted and the" adja-g cent portionof the wall ehaving anfbpen'f space "for receiving said ,tong'u'ej-land: parts e on the portibii'ofthe walliiiiwhich said slit vsaid tongue to prevent accidentalv V .8. A folding cardboard box having a f'wan c e e ie Phi y 9f b rler p d b lt-f T1 --t e"eifi 9n h 'iit rr iti' bf iall that laps ove'r' thein'ne'r poi-eon o the fwall a tongue on said flap, the inne I I V V v ,the-wall*havingja- 'slitthroug adapte'd lto be'inserte'd and the adj a'cent pertion 'o fthewall being provided lvsiith inea'nsltion o f thew'allhaviiig I WlIIC ll 'P B II Ii'ItS part of the'slitted portion tofipermits'said slitted]portionto'fln; d hen g'the"operation of'insert-m. V I

" jthetongu t @C Q I i Hd iWT 5f the; ten" e o ,e '9.'Afoldmgcardboard boXprovi d'e' wit space, and cooperating means ion said-tongue and wall for preventing accidental withdrawal of said tongue.

" 4. A box'forined of cardboard or the like a p v ed ith, a Wa11-; mpose f0. aaplu-i rality .vof overlapped portions, tone of said portions having an opening and the -adjaportions providedwith a; tonguefit'hat is ne of thjeotherportions'ofiseid walhand an open" space or *hole inan intermediate portion of the wall ;f0r"recei-ving*said tongue when it" reaches its finalposition, 1 "*5 f f V p 6. raiding cardboard box ,provided'iwith' a wall coniposed'of a pluralityoff overlapped i portions, a *reteiningffiap n onef ofjsaid adapted tofhe inserted in'f'an openingfin p n ce ii win em eeip t1on o he wall for-'receiv1ngfsa1dtongue 'tionsf'provided' withfa' a ept ed to "be ositionedf within] said walhfo is forified that cok'iperate "with steamers drawn 'oiiithetongue.

10. An appliance according to claim 5 and including a base integral with the side extension, and in which the side piece is secured to said base and the sole plate is removably mounted on such base.

11. An appliance of the character described and comprising a base, a sole plate secured thereto, a vertical side. plate also secured to said base, a hinge member having hinged connection with the upper portion of said side plate adjacent the ankle joint, a leg support pivotally connected at the intermediate point with said hinge member, a side extension projecting laterally from said base and curved concentrically of the axis of the hinge, an adjustable plate arranged to be adjusted laterally on said extension and secured thereto, and means for securing the lower end of said leg support to said adjusting plate at any portion of angular adjustment of such support about its pivotal connections with the hinge member.

12. An appliance according to claim 11 in which the adjusting plate is formed with a curved base and is adjustably secured to the extension of the base by means of a clamping nut and a bolt passing through a slot in such extension and in which said adjusting plate is formed with an upright wall formed with a curved slot and said leg support is secured to such plate by means of a clamping nut and a bolt passing through such slot.

GRACE GASSETTE. 

